Centrifugal separator



Jan. 11, 1927. 1,614,357 R. GAMPER CENTRIFUGAb SEPARATOR Filed Feb. 19. 1,926 2 Sheets-Shot 1 J mmen Too 1?. ain/967' Jan. 11, 1927.

R. GAMPER CENTRIFUGAL SEPARATOR Filed Feb. 19, 1926 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 iii Patented Jan. 11, 1927.

UNETED STATES ROBERT GAMPER, OF BROOKLYN, NEW YORK.

CENTRIFUGAL SEPARATOR.

Application filed February The present invention relates to centrifugal separators, and more particularly to the type for use in separating sugar from its adhering liquors, in separating oils from water and dirt, in separating crystals from mother liquor, and in the saparation of other substances required in the organic chemical industry, although the device is capable of other uses to which it may be found adaptable.

An object of the present invention is to provide a centrifugal separator of the spiral type which may be operated continuously, or which may be continuously charged, and which continuously discharges.

Another object is to provide a construction of centrifugal separator which may be assembled with or embodied in those types of centrifugals which are at present in existence and use.

A further object of the invention is to provide a special construction which is of novel form and may have its walls disposed vertically or otherwise to suit the conditions of use and the type of centrifugal with which the improvements are used.

A further object is to embody in the centrifugal separator certain novel filter features enabling the use of the filter cloth, charcoal, screens, fullers earth, singly or combined for filtering out the different materials and eliminating the necessity of the subsequent use of the filter press.

A still further object of the invention is to provide a structure wherein the material may be washed continuously within the machine, and the washing may be caught and carried off separately from the mother liquor or the like.

With the foregoing and other objects in view, the invention will be more fully described hereinafter, and will be more particularly pointed out in the claims appended hereto.

In the drawings, wherein like symbols refer to like or corresponding parts throughout the several views,

Figure 1 is a vertical central section taken through a centrifugal separator and filter constructed according to the present invention, V

Figure 2 is a horizontal section taken through the same on the line 22 of Figure 1, and

Figure 3 is a fragmentary enlarged sectional view taken through a portion of the 19, 1926. Serial No. 89,437.

bowl at one side, showing the spiral feeding and the filtering and distributing means embodied in the construction of the bowl.

Referring to the drawings, 10 designates a shaft which is driven from its lower end by any suitable means and which has a stop collar 11 abutting a suitable bearing 12 carried on the spiral .18 arranged within the lower end of a stationary shell 14. The upper end of the shaft 10 is tapered and carries a hub or cap 15, which is of elongated construction and is adapted to tightly fit the shaft for turning therewith and also for supporting various parts of the apparatus which are to be rotated. The hub 15 terminates at its upper end in a pipe 16, which is adapted to receive material to be separated and which at its lower end opens into an annular space or passage 17 which communicates with openings 18 formed in the lower or body end of the cap 15, and which in turn open through the bottom of the cap about the shaft. Any desired number of openings 18 may be provided for feeding the material substantially entirely about the shaft 10.

A spreader disc or cone 19 is fixed to the shaft 10 and is spaced slightly below the cap 15 for receiving the material from the openings 18 and distributing the material outwardly from the shaft by centrifugal action.

A bowl or cylinder is carried by the cap 15 and suspended therefrom about the shaft 10; this bowl or cylinder comprises an innor. basket 20 which is spaced concentrically within an outer basket 21, both baskets having perforated walls through which the material may pass. The baskets 20 and 21 may be separably connected together so that they may be taken apart.

Packed between the baskets 20 and 21 is a filter substance 22 which may be fullers earth, or the like, and the outer basket 21 is provided with an inner lining 23 of filter cloth or the like to maintain the filtering material 22 within the space between the haskets and also to aid in the filtration of the material passing through the bowl.

The inner basket 20 is provided with a spiral feeding device 24 which may be in single or multiple spiral form, and is shown at the present instance as of double spiral formation. Each spiral comprises a spirally curved angle bar having a substantially horizontal flange which progresses upwardly from the lower end of the bowl to the top thereof and which has a vertical flange or iii attaching portion which is fitted against the inner wall of the inner basket 20 and has perforations registering with thoseof the basket 20. The vertical, or substantially vertical, flanges of the spirals 24 abut the lower sides of the adjacent spiral or convolution so as to provide substantially channel-shaped spiral grooves or feed ways for the material. The horizontal flanges of the spiral extend inwardly from the wall of the basket 20 to an appreciable extent for maintaining and raising a substantial quantity of the material under the influence of centrifugal force incident to therapid rotation of the bowl.

The outer basket 21 is provided with a number of annular rings 25 which are spaced above each other and which are substantially of frusto-conical form and may or may not have perforations 26 therein and against which is discharged, under centrifugal action, the filtered material for the purpose of spreading the material and imparting an outward and downward movement of the same to more thoroughly eparate the same.

Arranged about the bowl is a cylinder 27 which is spaced outwardly a short distance from the ends of the rings 25. The rings 25 extend downwardly from the top of the bowl substantially two-thirds of the height of the same and apartition plate or ring 28 is disposed between the outer basket 21 and the cylinder 27 to provide a wash fluid space beneath the partition 28 and an upper independent space above the partition 28 for receiving the mother liquor or other substance which is finally to be discharged. The cap 15 supports an inner cone 29 which is carried upon a sleeve 30 mounted upon the cap in spaced relation thereabout, and is provided with a second cone 31 spaced concentrically about the cone 29 and connected by a spider 32 to the pipe 15 intermediate the upper and lower ends of the same. The cones 29 and 31 provide an annular passage or space upwardly through which the filtered liquor may pass to an upper annular trough 33 from which the liquor may be discharged from a spout 34, located at one side of the trough 33 into a second trough or channel 35 disposed beneath the outer end of the passage 34. The reactor cylinder 27 may be detachably connected to the third cone or funnel 36 which extends upwardly and is connected by a spider 37 to the upper end of the cone 31 for receiving heavier liquids which are carried upwardly through the funnel 36 into a second annular trough 38 provided at one side with a spout 39 which opens into a delivering trough or channel 40. The shell 14 may be provided with a conical top 41 which extends upwardly and terminates beneath the lower trough 38 for the purpose of housing the apparatus and for directing any liquid accumulations in the top of the shell down into the lower end of the same.

The troughs 33 and 38 may be embodied in a unitary stationary structure provided with a bracket or support 42 011 its upper end and upon which is mounted a storage tank 43 into which opens a feed pipe 44 controlled by a valve 4.5 for admitting liquid to be separated and filtered into the tank 43. A feed pipe 46 opens downwardly from the tank 43 into the pipe 16 of the cap.

The cylinder 27 is provided in one side with an outlet spout 47 which opens from the lower compartment beneath the partition 28 for the outlet of wash liquors therefrom, the spout 47 discharging against a baflle 48 spaced annularly about the cylinder 27 and opening into an annular trough 49 which is carried upon the inner side of the shell 14. The trough 49 is adapted to catch the wash liquids and lead the same oil at any desired point. The annular baffle plate 43 merely breaks the impact of the discharge liquids from the spout 47, so that the same may settle into the trough 49. The trough 49 is spaced at its inner edge from the outer wall of the cylinder 27, so as to discharge the 'ash water accumulations in the trough 49 into the space below the latter, and into a trough 50 which is carried upon the inner side of the shell 14 and provided with a discharge outlet 51 at one side, as shown in Fig ure'2, which opens or drains into a trough or channel 52. The troughs 49 and 50 may be used either separably or combined. A bot tom plate 53 is carried across the bottom of the bowl and the cylinder 27 for closing the lower compartment between the bowl and the cylinder, and for closing the lower end of the bowl. This bottom plate 53 is flanged or rolled upwardly as at 54 to prevent escape of accumulations in the bottom of the bowl downwardly against the shaft 10.

\Vash water, or the like, is fed upwardly through a pipe 55 arranged at one side of the shaft 10 and within the lower end of the shell 14, a valve controlling the flow of wash water. The pipe 55 is provided with two branches 57 and 58 which have independent valves 59 and (it) therein, and which are carried upwardly at opposite sides of the shaft 10 through the flange 54 and are bent outwardly and radially with respect to the shaft. The pipes 57 and 58 are provided upon their upper out-turned ends with spray heads 61 which open toward the inner wall of the inner basket 20.

In operation, the liquor or material to be separated is fed through the pipe 44 into the funnel 43, which may have a [ilter screen, and downwardly through the feed pipe 46 into the pipe 16, and is distributed through the passages 18 onto the separator 19 The liquid may be of two, three or more constitutents mixed with impurities which are IOU solid, The centrifugal action set up by the rotation of the shaft 10 sprays the material with the solids outwardly against the inner wall of the centrifugal and immediately given centrifugal force.

This force will send the liquid through the perforations of the baskets 20 and 21, filter medium 23, rings 25, which may, but not necessarily, have perforations. The thus filtered liquid is thrown against the wall 27 and, if the two or more liquids are not mixable or only slightly mixable, the centrifugal force will separate them, the heavier moving alongside the wall, the lighter ones shifting on the heavier ones.

The liquid then will try to creep and the only outlet for the liquid is through the cones 81 and 29. There may be more such cones, as 29 and 31, according to how many kinds of liquids have to be separated. The heavier liquid is discharged into the trough 38 while the lighter liquid is discharged into the trough Liquids and solids are sprayed from the disc 19 on to the centrifugal together, the liquid passing through the filter, and the solids moving downwardly through the channels 24. formed by spirals until they reach the outlet 62 and are caught in the trough 50, which, when suitably arranged, discharges the solids into a conveyor, pot or other suitable container not shown.

The solids, when passing the spray nozzles,

61, are washed, if desired. The wash water may also be caught separately, and kept separately if desired, so as to not again be mixed with the solids.

This centrifugal separator may be used where the solids are more valuable or desired than the liquids; the liquids serving only as a medium to crystallize or detract or dissolve other substances, i. e., the substance wanted at the end. The apparatus shown may be modified within the scope of the invention to adapt it to its particular use.

Figure 1 does not show any reactor and also not any type of centrifugals where only solids are separated from liquids or, its mother liquor. In this type, as Figure 1 shows, liquid and solids are moved downward. In case of only separating solids from liquids, the upper part (separator for liquids) will not be necessary and it may be better to feed at the bottom and wash atthe top. Solids, mother liquid and wash water may be caught separately, however this may be changed.

Also, the heavier liquid, going up alongside the wall 27, is discharged into trough 3S and the lighter one into trough 33.

all 27 serves as a means to hold the filtered liquid and send the same to the separator.

The present device may, by slight modification, be used as a reactor, as the reactor operates on the same principles as the centrifugals, i. e., it gives the material the longest possible path in the drum, therefore the longest possible time to go into reaction and the walls of the reactor are not perforated. In this instance, several drums with spirals are put one into the other; one moving the material upward, the other downward, as often as desired, and this unit for itself may be connected to the centrifugal separator, on top or bottom, as suitable.

The centrifugal with spirals also gives the longest possible way to the material charged, therefore the longest possible time to be under centrifugal action.

The bowl and adjacent parts may be driven at any desired speed according to the pressure required, and the apparatus is susceptible to various modifications and changes to adapt the same to different uses and sizes, and to also embody the features of this invention in difierent types of centrifugals.

It is obvious that various changes and modifications may be made in the details of construction and design of the above specifically described embodiment of this invention without departing from the spirit thereof, such changes and modifications be ing restricted only by the scope of the following claims.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States is 1. In a centrifugal separator, a bowl, an upwardly directed spiral feeding device fixed Within the bowl to turn therewith,

means for feeding material to be separated into the lower end of the bowl, means for turning the bowl with its spiral feeding device, wash water feeding means in the bowl, a filter element carried by the wall of the bowl, and means for independently taking off at the outer side of the bowl the mother liquors and the wash liquors projected through the bowl.

2. In a centrifugal separator, a bowl having spaced perforated walls, filter means between said walls, a spiral feeding device secured within the bowl to turn therewith for raising material therein, means for turning the bowl. with its spiral feeding device, lineans for feeding material to the interior of the bowl, means for feeding wash water to the interior of the bowl at a predetermined point, means for carrying ofi' wash liquors from about the bowl, and independent means for carrying off filtered residue liquors, independently of the wash liquors.

3. I11 a centrifugal separator, a bowl, means for feeding material to the bowl, means for feeding wash water to the bowl, a spiral feeding device secured to the inner wall of the bowl for raising the liquors therein, projecting ringscarried exteriorly on the bowl, means for rotating the bowl with its interior feeding device and its exterior rings, a cylinder surrounding the bowl, and spaced collecting members arranged above the cylinder and the bowl for carrying oil the separated liquors.

4. In a centrifugal separator, a revolvable bowl, means for feeding material to the bowl, a spiral feed member fixed in the bowl to turn therewith for lowering the material therein, a cylinder sin'rounding the bowl, concentric cones disposed above the bowl and the cylinder and arranged with annular chambers opening into the space between the bowl and the cylinder, and means for independently carrying off the separated liquors carried by said concentric cones.

5. In a centrifi'igal separator, a shell, a shaft mounted in the shell, a bowl carried by the shaft, a spiral feeding member secured in the bowl, means for delivering ma erial to the bowl, filtering means carried by the bowl for filtering the material passing through the bowl, a cylinder arranged within the shell and about the bowl, and A independent collectingeones arranged above the bowl and the cylinder and communicating with the space therebetween tor separating and carryii'ig oil the filtered liquors from the bowl.

6. In a-centrifugal separator, a shell, a bowl mounted for rotation in the shell, means for feeding material to the bowl, a spiral feeding member fixed in the bowl to turn therewith for lowering the material therethrough, means for feeding wash water into the bowl, means for carrying off wash liquors from about the lower end of the bowl, and a plurality of independent members communicating with the space about the upper end of the bowl for carrying off the filtered liquors delivered from the bowl independently of the wash liquors.

ROBERT GAMPER. 

